Adjustable blind and curtain support



' Dec. 13, 1949 'J. TRIMARCHI ET AL 2,490,890

ADJUSTABLE BLIND AND CURTAIN SUPPORT Filed June 25, 1947 INVENTORS 1Z JOSEPH rem/mew BY L/QZZflEU PEZZ/l HTTORNE Patented Dec. 13, 1949 ADJUSTABLE BLIND AND CURTAIN SUPPORT Joseph Trimarchi and Lazzaro Pezza,

New York, N. Y.

Application June 25, 1947, Serial No. 756,834

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to an adjustable blind and curtain support, but more specifically to a type of support for curtains, drapenes and Venetian blinds or window shades which may be easily lowered for purposes of repair, adjustment and replacement.

The main object of the invention reside in the provision of a pair of similar movable brackets supported on a pair of bars aflixed spacedly to the vertical members of a window frame, each of the said brackets having cooperating means with the bars for maintaining a fixed top operative position thereof and for unlatching from said position for controlled slidable lower position.

Each of the above mentioned movable brackets is provided with means for supporting Venetian blinds, shades, curtains and drapes so that upon release from the top operative position thereof the brackets may be lowered along the bars so that the said window trimmings may be accessible for purposes of repair, replacement and adjustment.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of movable brackets which are compact, simple in construction, easy to operate and inconspicuous.

These objects and other ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims. v

Accompanying this specification is a drawing showing a preferred form of the invention and wherein:

igure 1 is a front view in elevation of the bracket-s in top fixed and operative position and showing the control means therefor.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1 across the plane 2--2 thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectionalview of Figure 1 across the broken plane 33 thereof.

In accordance with the invention and the preferred form shown numeral I indicates each one of a pair of bars or rails adapted to be secured to one of a pair of vertical members II of the window frame, the said bars each indicated by numeral I0 being shown in the form of an elongated plate member being secured to the vertical members I I by means of a plurality of spaced screws I2 each penetrating a spacing bushing I3. Each of the brackets is comprised of a vertically disposed plate member I4 having a forwardly extending bracket arm I5 along the outer edge and a rearwardly extending bracket arm I6 along the inner edge. Forwardly extending bracket arm I5 has a tapering lower edge I! and a straight upper edge I8 disposed above the upper horizontal edge of plate M'. The rearwardly extending bracket arm I 6 as shown is narrower in width than forwardly extending arm I5. Plate I4 on the rear face thereof is provided with a pair of vertical angle irons i9 and riveted thereto at attaching flanges as by rivets 2| whereby plate IA is slidably secured to the bar or plate I0- At the upper end of each bar I0 is a lateral and inwardly extending arm 22 affixed thereto as by rivets 25, the said arm 22 having a depending spring latch 23 secured thereto as at rivets 24. The lower end of the latch 23 is provided with a hook member 26 adapted to support one of the brackets in uppermost and operative position by engaging the upper edge of an opening 29 in plate M.

A vertically extending leaf spring 21 secured to the front wall of plate I4 at rivets 28 projects above the upper edge of said plate. The spring latch 23 intermediate the height thereof and the upper edge of leaf spring 21 are adapted to engage respectively a cam 34 and a ratchet wheel 33. Said cam 34 and wheel 33 are mounted in a rear lug 36 on plate Ill on an axle 32 inside a bushing 3|, the latter penetrating said lug.

The forwardly extending bracket arm I5 has on the inner face thereof a pair of aligned curtain rod brackets and on the outer face of said bracket arm and spaced thereabove are a pair of drapery rod brackets 36. Adjacent the forward end of the upper edge I8 of the forwardly extending bracket arm i5 is a semi-cylindrical recess 31 which may receive one end of a curtain rod. In addition, adjacent the upper edge It there may be a series of' openings, 38 to retain' other window trimmings such as a shade.

Each of the rearwardly extending bracket arms It serves to support one end of the supporting head of a Venetian blind and is provided with an adjustable plate 38 secured thereto by means of screw bolts 39 penetrating openings and aligned slots 40 in the bracket arm and plate 38 respectively. Plate 38 on the outer face is provided with a Venetian blind bracket, the bracket having a rearwardly extending horizontal portion 4I terminatin at the rear edge in an upright wall 42, and at the forward edge developing into a vertical and depending U-shaped bracket 43. The horizontal wall 4| and the adjacent vertical leg of the U-shaped bracket 43 at the inner edges are provided with attaching flanges 44 and 45 over and through which a plate 46 is riveted to plate 38 as by rivets 41. The U-shaped bracket is adapted to hold a heading or cross piece while the horizontal portion 4| is adapted to hold one end of the main top cross p ece of a Venetian blind.

The means used for raising and lowering both of the brackets I4 comprises a single and double roller 48 and 49 respectively, each of the rollers being secured at the opposing ends of the arms 22. One of the rollers such as 49 has a double groove while the other roller 48 has a single groove. A rope or cord 5| is adapted to be anchored at a forwardly turned flange 50 along the inner end of the upper edge, of one of the plates l4 and proceeds over roller 48 and over one of the grooves of roller 49, the other groove of roller 49 being used to receive rope or cord 5m anchored at flange 50 of the other plate M. The free ends of the cords 5| and 5la are secured together as indicated by the manipulating cord 52.

When manipulating cord 52 is drawn downwardly while the brackets 14 are in uppermost and suspended position at the hooks 2B of latch arms 23, the brackets are raised to the extent of the height of opening 29 and spring arm 21 at the top edge causes a rearward turn of ratchet wheel 33 resulting in movement of cam 34 whereby the latch arm 23 is flexed and disengaged from within the opening 29 permitting the downward movement of the brackets [4 along the rails 10. It is to be noted that the ratchet wheel 33 as shown is provided with six teeth and the movement of a tooth rearwardly displaces axle 32 60. The 60 displacement causes a corresponding displacement in the triangular cam 34 having flattened corners whereby the latch arm 23 becomes alternately flexed inwardly for dis engagement with the window 29 in plate [4 for lowering of the brackets and returned for engagement with the said window when cord 52 is pulled to raise the brackets to operative position. At the initial downward movement of the brackets l4, the spring arm 21 rides over the upper surface of one of the teeth of ratchet wheel 20. When the window trimmings have been applied, manipulated, adjusted or replaced while the brackets are in lowered position, the manipulating cord 52 is pulled and upon engagement between the upper edges of spring arm 21 with one of the teeth in ratchet arms 30 and upon displacement thereof the axle 32 rotates for 60 thereby displacing a corner of cams 34 for releasing the latch arms 23 for engagement with the upper edges of windows 29 for purposes of supporting the brackets in uppermost position.

We wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the integration, the material, location and size of parts of the invention may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of th invention and the scope of the appended claims.

It is to be noted that the spring latching arm 23 is provided with a central recess 53 which is adapted to engage the corners of the cam 34 when in flexed position to prevent cam rotation. Moreover, when arm 23 is in unflexed condition, spring pressure against the triangular sides of the cam prevents the latter from rotating.

We claim:

1. An adjustable support of the class described, comprising a pair of rails secured to the vertical pieces of a window frame, a pair of brackets each slidably secured to said pair of rails, draw-string means between the brackets and the rails for raising and lowering said brackets, a supporting latch arm secured to the upper end of each rail and engaging an opening in each bracket to support said brackets when in uppermost position, a ratchet wheel secured to each rail adjacent the upper end thereof, a ratchet arm secured to each of said brackets and engageable with each of said ratchet wheels, and cam means operative by said ratchet wheel on each of said rails for releasing the latching arm from each bracket when the brackets are raised above the uppermost supporting position.

2. An adjustable support for window blinds, Venetian blinds, curtains, drapes and the like, comprising a pair of rails secured to the vertical pieces of a window frame, a pair of brackets each slidably secured to one of said rails, draw-string means between said brackets and said rails for raising and lowering said brackets, a common axle rotatably mounted on each rail and having a ratchet wheel and cam secured to opposite ends of said axle, a leaf spring engageable with said ratchet wheel mounted on each bracket, a latching arm mounted on each rail and engageable with said cam, each bracket having an opening engageable at the upper edge by said latching arm to support each bracket in uppermost and operative position by said leaf spring engaging and rotating said ratchet Wheel, whereby said latch arm is moved to engage the upper edge of the opening in the bracket.

JOSEPH TRIMARCHI. LAZZARO PEZZA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 562,017 Murdock Jun 16, 1896 606,263 Bailey June 28, 1898 642,247 Morris et a1. Jan. 30, 1900 796,359 Rosenthal Aug. 1, 1905 891,228 Bowen June 23, 1908 2,229,898 Pastva Jan. 28, 1941 

